KAUKAUNA — The Fox River locks system opens Saturday, May 17, 2025 for the 2025 summer season.
Most locks are open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 4. The locks also are open Memorial Day and Labor Day, but closed the Fourth of July.
The De Pere lock is open May 17 – September 1 10 a-8 p (Monday through Sunday), Sept 2 – October 6 10 a-6 p (Saturdays and Sundays only), October 4 & 5 10 a-6 p Free Fall Colors Weekend
Recreational day passes are $15 and must be purchased ahead of time online. Other pass options are available.
The Fox River Navigational System Authority manages the 17 locks on the Fox River from Menasha to De Pere.
Of the 17 locks, 16 have been restored to full working order and are a recreational, historic and economic asset to northeast Wisconsin.
The lock at Rapide Croche near Wrightstown will remain closed as a barrier to invasive aquatic species. The Menasha lock has been closed since 2015 due to the discovery of Round Goby.
People can watch boaters go through the locks while walking the new Kaukauna Locks Trail that links the five Kaukauna locks with the network of trails in Kaukauna and the Fox Cities. The 1.3 mile trail runs adjacent to all five locks and gives pedestrians and cyclists a chance to see the locks in action during the summer months.
